Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-12-15
Shake Rag Under the Hill.
4 stony or EAsLY DAYS IN THE LAD MINES.
~ l. - o5zoR1TE-

treating to great extent of the lead
region, is not founded on any known
facts. The characters are of the
imagination, though at times they
may possibly resemble somebody,
for it is difficult to make an ordinary
cap that will not tit some one. The
character Of the times in those old
days, however, we believe to be
faithfully painted, as are the places
herein described by one who was
raised in that region,
THE WRITER.
The year 1912 found Joe Tonkyns
in the city of New Orleans, an ad-
venturer with an abundance of hope
and spirit, but a very small amount
of capital. He had Just arrived
from the gold mines of Guiana,
where with some gold he had ac-
CURED an attack of fever, which
forced him to leave The country.
On the ship in which he sailed an
auction was held the first day out, of
the effects OF sailor, who had been
taken down with yellow fever while
in port, and was reported dead be
fore the ship sailed. So, in accord
ance with a time-honored custom,
the few belongings of the poor fell
Wv were distributed amongst
the crew to the highest bidder, the
proceeds being retained for the ben
eft of the sailors hospital The
few articles Of clothing which once
the sailor wore, patched and worn
and worthless to anyone save his
messmates, were quickly disposed
of among the crew gathered togeth-
er for the purpose, and though their
rough hearts were sad at viewing
these relics of their lost comrade,
who had brayed with them the storms,
and shared the jollities of many Il
furloueh ashore in many climes,
still many q rough joke was banded
about at the grotesque appearance
which many of the sailors presented
in their newly acquired insists. A
small but select library was bid in
by the captain, and a small trunk
containing papers, trinkets, etc, was
taken by Tonkyns III a fit of idle
curiosity. Taking the trunk to his
cabin ne emptied it of it's contents,
and giving the empty receptacle T.
a sailor, he returned aud devoted
the remainder Of the day To exauin-
ing with a mOurnful interest that
which the dead sailor priced SO high
~, and which from their worn ap-
pearance had evidently helped to
while away many tedious hours
when off duty. Tonkyus was agree
ably surprised at the contents Of the
first papers he examined. They APP
peared to be original, written in a
fair legible hand, and from the care
evidently taken were prepared with
the intention to publish.
They treated of the strange coun-
tries which the sailor had visited in
his wide wandenngS, and mingled
with an excellent description Of
their scenery, productions, etc, many
personal aud interesting adventures.
The peruser paced them carefully
hy, intending so ne day to carry out
the intention of the sea faring
author, who was thus shown to be
far above his surroundings in edu
cation and intelligence.
Musing sadly on the mutablllty of
human life and frequent Illustration
Of our fondest hopes he next exam
iued an English newspaper, of a
comparatively recent date; aud
whlle wondering for what purpose
the sailor had thus carefully pre-
served IT. he noticed marked par
agraph which was an obituary notlce
stating briefly the death OF a Mrs.
Ann Gloan, aged 3 Z years, VITA the
usual commendatory remarks. The